dishonest and dishonorable, by restraining or discouraging the honest and honorable. It lies in the hands of the two Societies, easily to purify their campaigns of all that is immoral or deceptive, by frowning upon, rather than applauding to the echo, the successful "gobbler." There is no need of committing suicide in order to be decent and moral.

It was objected a year ago, we remember, to the old system, that it occupied too much of the year, breaking up the regular meetings during nearly one whole term. It is evident, however, that this is not at all an essential or necessary part of the old system. If the Societies feel that too many evenings are devoted to electioneering purposes, they can speedily remedy the evil. There is, certainly, no occasion for forbidding men to pledge, or discouraging personal electioneering in order to preserve the meetings of the summer term for the ordinary Society exercises. So, in general, we hold that the abuses complained of under the old system are easily separable from it, and do not concern its vital nature, while the new system is a blow, already felt, at the remaining life of the Societies, and a manifest encouragement to dishonesty and dishonor. It was from no mean motives of a single shortlived success for our own Society, that we favored the restoration of the old system of electioneering; but, because we felt in ourselves and saw in all about us, that the new system was destructive of the highest and best interests of the Societies, and promotive of influences and habits at variance with personal integrity and public honor. We saw, or thought we saw, not only the interest before felt in the campaigns, well-nigh crushed out, but, far worse than this, the zeal and fidelity of the whole year sacrificed. We feel a strong confidence, that there is yet to come a healthy reaction in the feelings of our College community towards our large Societies; that public debate and public literary exercises are again to be recognized and adopted, as one great department of true educational discipline, and for the sake of such a result, we have desired to restore, and now rejoice to see restored, the old system of Society electioneering.

D. H. C.

THE DEFOREST PRIZE ORATION.

Faith in Moral Truth essential to the highest achievements of Genius.

BY WILLIAM EDWARD PARK, ANDOVER, MASS.

I.

1. Genius defined.

II.

ANALYSIS.

2. The Highest achievements of Genius defined.

3. Faith in Moral Truth defined.

Faith in Moral Truth tends necessarily to strengthen and purify Genius. III. Grounds on which Faith in Moral Truth is necessary to the highest achieve

5. Faith in Moral Truth is necessary to render Genius even successful.

ORATION.

IT is certainly difficult to define genius. We might, in a certain sense, presume it to be an ability to recognize certain laws of truth, and to produce marked effects, in either conscious or unconscious obedience to those laws. Genius is often termed a peculiar creative power; but what is creative power, except an ability to see, then to combine and represent in art, poetry or some form of action, truths which have always existed. Genius is generally allied with an ability to excite the admiration of mankind, and especially with a certain magnetic power to stimulate all mind brought in contact with itself. But we deny entirely that genius is necessarily attached to that erratic and unbalanced character so often associated with it. Our nature is limited, and when strikingly developed in some faculties, it often shows a corresponding deficiency in others. This is the peculiar fault, but by no means the necessity of genius. Genius is more bare and noticeable, not greater, in a character devoid of every other excellence. Because often genius can achieve eminence, in spite of its faults, men commit the fallacy of thinking that it succeeds on account of its faults. Is there any reason in supposing that vices and eccentricities increase one's power? Is it not a natural result that

one should improve the quality of his mind, when he overcomes the failings of his character? Are Milton, Newton, Pascal, any weaker in genius, because they were, in a human sense, perfect men. A part of the solar spectrum shows brilliant colors, but the whole of it produces that perfect light which is itself invisible. The most powerful forces and the greatest minds in nature are balanced, calm, self-possessed, silent. If the allusion be not irreverent, we would ask, if when we fix our attention upon a single point, in the mind of the Supreme Being, and consider that mind merely as a mind of infinite genius, could we associate with it any of that straining and weariness, that hurried and restless action, which belongs to aspiring littleness on earth? That genius sways the universe, in the calmness of perfect power, and is content to reveal the smallest part of its greatness.

The highest achievements of genius, we understand to be, the efforts of genius which coöperate best with the plans of the Deity, and are most efficient for the good of creation. We will endeavor to show, that faith in moral truth is essential to these achievements.

Under moral truth, we suppose to be comprehended all moral and spiritual facts. Faith in moral truth is a belief in moral facts-not an assent to indefinite religious statements,-an ability to see things as they are. There is no doubt but that faith in real truth, be it historical, physical, or scientific, will strengthen the mind. Our minds are constructed to believe in realities; skepticism is a state at once unnatural, disagreeable and weakening; belief is a state of repose and of strengh. But not only does faith strengthen the intellect; in the wondrous connection of our faculties, it acts instantly upon the feelings, and affects the entire nature. An earnest feeling is the complement of a profound conviction, and follows it, as the night the day. And as in the progress of nature, faith comprehends truths which are greater and more vital, feeling becomes purer and stronger, and the mind approximates more to its highest achievements. It follows, then, that genius can only reach its highest achievements under the influence of moral truth; for so far as our faculties can decide, moral truth is the highest form of truth existing. Moral truth is that in which a believer comes nearest to the mind of the Deity, and nearest to infinite perfection. Moral truth is the great central sun of all truth, and, although it is in perfect harmony with every other; it is that to which all other truth is subservient; perhaps that for which all other truth exists.

The soul is constructed to be moved and regulated by moral forces like gravitation. He who advances in knowledge of moral truth, will

not find his mind perfected in a mere subordinate speciality, but the pendulum of his nature beats with a more firm and steady motion. Moral truth, in its inexhaustible variety of application, can act upon each character in a different way; it can bear on the soul with the force of a tempest, it can restrain with a delicate bridle hand, it can draw out the timid with gentle and seductive persuasion. Genius, without its influence, can never approximate to its highest achievements; it will be restless, introverting, mistaking small things for great. It is in vain to cite men of eminent genius who have lived without moral truth; many such have existed, but they cannot altogether weigh one inference against the certain fact, that the entire tendency of moral truth is to expand and to purify genius. In the days when moral truth was less perfectly revealed than at present, and genius dazzled men by splendid sinning, it may have been thought that genius found more latitude when freed from moral restraints, though a thorough examination would show that it found much less. Nor did this guilty and immoral genius accomplish true success, or play anywhere in the range of its highest achievements, for the highest achievements of genius are not to display its own power, and usurp that adoration which belongs to its Maker. Thunder and lightning make commotion, and seem to effect little else; sunlight, dews, wind and rain, produce permanent results.

We will specify some of the methods in which faith in moral truth becomes essential to the highest achievements of genius.

Faith in moral truth can exert upon genius a refining tendency. All exaggeration and falsehood bring a coarse influence, but there is a delicacy of thought required in seeing things exactly as they are. The inquirer for truth, constantly familiar with objects so much greater than himself, is continually placed in a modest and chaste attitude. These moral influences will perceptibly chasten an ordinary mind; how much more will they refine the delicate texture of a genius. He who investigates moral truth from mere curiosity, must gradually be pervaded by a mild, delicious sense of its beauty and proportion, while the heart is mellowed by incessant contact with delicate beauty, like the fruit into whose texture has grown the result of a hundred sunshines. The artist whose soul is pervaded by spiritual faith, paints the Transfiguration and the wondrous face of the Virgin, while genius without moral delicacy paints, with the best execution, Dutch gardens, perhaps a Horse Fair. Dean Swift, with a mind almost equal to that of Milton in force and concentration, had little moral delicacy; compare the coarse productions of his genius with the holy and etherial beauty of parts of the Paradise Lost.

But not only is moral truth necessary to render genius refined; without it the works of genius can neither be dignified nor substantial. Dignity in the exhibition of genius will greatly depend upon the importance of the subject to which that genius is devoted. Is it reasonable that when moral subjects form the employment of nearly our whole existence, any subject can be comparatively important which is confined to the present smallest part of it? Genius which is not spent upon moral subjects, or subjects in harmony with morality, will be spent on trifles, and an artist, who should paint ant hills instead of mountains, and pools instead of oceans, would be no more absurd than he who neglects things great and eternal, and wastes his energies on things little and temporary. Moral subjects will render genius great, for they are great, and subjects which do not recognize morality will belittle genius, for they are little. Many an ancient artist wasted his talents in carving Fauns and Satyrs with the legs of goats, while the devout sculptor toiled to embody in the marble his sublime conception of Jupiter and Apollo. Compare the many shallow and insipid characters of the ancient stage with the profound moral creations of Antigone and Prometheus. Genius without moral character is not a responsible power, it can have no influence; like Undine, it is a beautiful creation, but, alas, without a soul.

The influence of moral truth can thus render genius refined and dignified; it renders it also more useful to mankind, which is more important than either.

Mankind are constructed to advance by the aid of one another's minds; the various species of intellect are adapted to one another like the different instruments of an orchestra, and notwithstanding much discord and confusion in the world, we can see this tendency to har. mony.

It is certain that each mind is constructed for an essential use, nor is genius any exception to this rule.

In the remote and complex relations of human affairs, it may be difficult to decide what is the best use of genius, but genius will certainly be safe in fulfilling, or attemping to fulfill, that purpose for which the Creator intended it. Now the whole study of moral truth has a gravitating tendency to moderate all extravagances, remove false pride, and place each mind just in that situation to which it is best adapted. Moreover, moral truth, emanating from the source of all generosity, carries with it an expanding tendency, and a genius, under the influence of moral truth, will not merely seek to display itself, but will aim to improve and harmonize all elements with which